Mint Chocolate Cupcakes.

Making a cupcake that tastes just like a Mint Aero could never be a bad thing, right? Well, I've only gone and done it! Yesterday, I decided to whip up a batch of my favourite chocolate cupcakes and then I made half into Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cupcakes and half into these Mint Chocolate Cupcakes. I've got to say I am actually really pleased with them and they taste pretty damn good if I do say so myself! The sweet, fluffy peppermint frosting tastes lovely paired with the soft, chocolatey sponge and rich, dark chocolate ganache and the pastel green frosting also looks really pretty against the deep, decadent, dark chocolate sponge which, I'm really happy about. I love a sweet and simple presentation and I really hope you enjoy these Mint Chocolate Cupcakes too! 

Recipe

For the Chocolate Cupcakes-

110g unsalted butter, softened

220g dark brown sugar

2 eggs

165g self-raising flour

55g cocoa

1/2 tsp. bicarbonate soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

140ml sour cream

For the Chocolate Ganache-

100ml double cream

100g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

For the Peppermint Frosting-

230g unsalted butter, softened

450g icing sugar, sifted

2 tsp. peppermint essence

green food colouring

crumbled chocolate cupcake or cookie to decorate

Method

1. Start by preparing the cupcakes. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin cases and pre-heat the oven to 180°C.

2. For the chocolate cupcakes, cream together the butter and sugar using an electric whisk. Gradually beat in the eggs and add the sour cream. Sieve together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and delicately fold into the mixture.

3. Divide the mixture into the 12 cake cases and bake for 15-17 minutes or until the sponge springs back when the surface is pressed lightly.

4. Place the cupcakes on a wire rack and allow to cool.

5. While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the chocolate ganache. Heat the cream until it simmers and stir in the dark chocolate until it completely melts and produces a glossy, dark chocolate ganache. Allow to cool until it thickens slightly but, not too much as it will be difficult to fill the cupcakes.

6. Once the cupcakes are cool use an apple corer to cut out a dip/hole in the centre of each cupcake and once the ganache is cool fill each dip/hole with 2 tsp. chocolate ganache. Reserve the chocolate cupcake centres ready to crumble over the cupcakes for decoration or alternatively you can use crumbled chocolate cookie.

7. Finally, prepare the peppermint frosting. Beat together the butter, icing sugar and peppermint essence until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add a few drops of green food colouring to the frosting and beat until the frosting is a nice pale, mint green colour. Lastly, pipe a swirl of the frosting onto each cupcake, scatter with a sprinkle of crumbled chocolate cookie or some of the reserved chocolate cupcake crumbs.